This invention relates to the field of pocket sized messaging terminals such as pagers which can be used to communicate with individuals who might otherwise be inaccessible.
A pager is a portable device which enables its user to receive a message from a central location. Upon reception of a message such devices typically vibrate or emanate a beeping sound, hence pagers are often referred to as beepers. In the past, pagers were primarily used by businesses as a means to communicate with their personnel, who were inaccessible by means of a telephone. However, times have changed and so have the users of such devices. Pagers are now being utilized by a varied group ranging from doctors, engineers and lawyers to parents and school children.
Over the years, there has been a major thrust by various manufacturers to design pagers that are more personalized, in order suit the personality of each individual user and thus to increase marketability of their products. Such efforts range from more compact packaging to a wider selection of colors. These changes have been well received by consumers. However, despite all efforts made to personalize these devices, the pager is still an impersonal piece of electronic gadgetry.
Even though today""s pager is capable of receiving, storing, displaying and in some cases transmitting a response to a received message, when it comes to alerting the user of reception of a new message, the choice is still either use of a beeping tone or a vibration, in cases where silence is required.
The present invention relates to a pager (either receive only or two way) or a similar device that is more user friendly than other pagers currently developed. As well as being able to receive messages and, in the preferred embodiment, transmit responses, present invention is also capable of alerting the user of reception of an incoming message by use of a voice alert, through an audio output means. This voice alert may be pre-recorded at the time of manufacture or even recorded by the user himself/herself with the aid of an audio input device, such as a microphone. The voice alert stored does not even have to be a voice, as it could be any sound that could be sampled. This capability transforms the pager to one that has the creativity of the user in mind. For example, a mother may record her voice on her child""s pager, saying xe2x80x9chere is a message from momxe2x80x9d so when she pages the child the child will hear his mother""s voice saying xe2x80x9chere is a message from momxe2x80x9d, so the child knows who has sent him the message without having to actually read it or to play it back.
In the preferred embodiment, this invention relates to a wireless, two way messaging terminal. Such messaging terminals are currently commercially available. The present messaging terminal is preferably about the same size as such commercially available messaging terminals. In addition to receiving messages, this invention is capable of emitting either a factory set or user recorded audible alert to notify its user of an incoming message. Furthermore, the user will have the capability of recording and transmitting an audio response. For purposes of this document, such devices, whether one way or two way, will be referred to herein as xe2x80x9cwireless messaging terminalsxe2x80x9d.
It is an object of an embodiment of this invention to provide a messaging terminal which alerts users to the presence of a message by playing a stored voice prompt as an alert signal.
It is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to make a wireless messaging terminal which is capable of receiving messages and prompting its user of the arrival of a message by generating an audible signal.
It is another object of the present invention to make a wireless messaging terminal that is capable of receiving and transmitting digital messages.
It is a further object of the present invention to make a wireless messaging terminal that is capable of recording and playing an audio signal.
It is a further object of this invention to make a wireless messaging terminal that is capable of storing and retrieving an audio signal.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the invention.
According to one aspect of this invention a wireless messaging terminal capable of receiving and transmitting messages is provided. Upon receiving a message, the sender""s I.D. number will be compared to user""s phone book, and if a mach is found the corresponding personalized voice prompt will be played through a speaker. If there is no match, a generic voice prompt such as xe2x80x9cYou have a new messagexe2x80x9d will be played.
The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by references to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.